Merry Go 'Round
by Stars.In.My.Eyes.1119
Summary: Two years ago Jared did something he could never be forgiven for. Someone was lost, people were hurt, and lives were changed forever. When the past comes back to haunt him, can Jared rise above the cravings and be the man that he wants to be? AU No wolves JaredOC PaulOC
1. Forget

**Chapter 1: Forget **

When you've made so many mistakes in your life, how do you fix them? How do you go back and tell everyone that you've hurt….that you're sorry? You can't go back, I know that now. Through all the mistakes I've made, I did everything in my power to take them back. It takes a lot more than sheer will power to do that though. When someone people cared for was taken from them too early, when you hurt some so emotionally that they're scarred mentally and physically, there's no going back. No matter how hard you try to make things right, it's not going to be fixed. Every day you have to live with yourself, knowing that you caused so much hurt.

Every day when I look in that mirror, I still see the monster that everyone else saw. I can still see the selfishness flowing through my veins. The lingering thoughts of addiction pounding on the walls that I had so desperately built. No matter how good things were starting to get, I always saw myself as who I knew I was and always would be. That why disappearing had seemed like such a good idea. One day Paul and I had loaded up the trucks and left La Push, not bothering to say any good byes, only determined to come back changed.

Leaving had seemed like the easiest thing in the world, over time people would be able to heal and to forget the incident that had rocked out little town and shocked the state. It was cowardly to just get up and go in the middle of the night, I know that, but there was no other way. I knew if we had told people our plan we would have been met with a negative response. Even though some were still mad at us for what had happened, they were willing to forgive and forget. But how was I supposed to do that when I couldn't even face my own problem every morning when I woke up?

When I closed my eyes at night, all I could see was the flames that erupted through the darkness, the screams that pierced the night. I could still see the blood that had ran down arms, still see the dark shadows that lingered under our eyes. I could hear that gavel banging innocence on a bench that deserved to ring guilty. I can hear the sobs, the gut wrenching cries. I can hear their voices, once laughing to the sky only filled with pain. Their faces and voices clung to my heart like a heavy weight. Their numbers would flash across my phone screen until I had finally chucked the phone into the ocean. I pushed all the memories away, trying to replace them with anything new.

The tires on our trucks balled and we scraped up money to pay for new ones, mud crusted the frame, and the sun beat down on the hoods until their color warped. But the traveling did something, it made me realize that I could change, and slowly that's exactly what I did. The cravings banged against my skull until I would beg for them, Paul never giving in as I made sure he didn't fall into his evil either. I was supposed to feel empowered and strong; at least that's what all the articles I had read said. It was alright to feel guilty, to have wants that you couldn't fulfill no matter how strong they were. As the days turned into months and finally into a year, those wants were slowly fading away. So when Paul made the decision that we should go back home, I could feel that monster rattling against the bars, its interest peaked.

No matter how much I argued with him, Paul wouldn't budge on his idea. Paul Lahote was my best friend, stubbornness was his main goal in life, and his anger had a short fuse. I knew that no matter how many reasons I came up with we were going to wind up doing what he wanted. So reluctantly I packed up my things from the hotel room we had crashed in and loaded up my truck. The landscape flashed by faster then I wanted, before I knew it rolling gray clouds became our backdrops as the forest sped by. Paul's truck gunned ahead of me, eager to be home finally. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel as we passed the ledge of a cliff. I could see the flowers and cross that were still perched proudly on the ledge, the black lettering bleeding from the rain. My knuckles turned white as I followed Paul in the muddy clearing that was his old house.

Standing on the porch was his mom, arms crossed tightly over her chest as a grimace that was identical to Paul's, lingered on her mouth. As we hopped out, she ran at us. I flinched, waiting for the yelling to begin. But it never came. Instead she wrapped her arms around us, crying as she muttered something over and over. I looked at Paul over her head; he smiled before wrapping his arms around his mom. I didn't need anything more as I held Sarah Lahote just as tight as he son.

"Oh my boys," she whispered, wiping tears from her face. She was the feminine version of Paul that much I knew. His dad had taken off when we were three and never seen again. When my parents had passed away Sarah had taken me in, refusing to allow child services to put me in foster care. So when Paul and I said we were like brothers, we really did mean it.

Sarah ushered us inside, busily taking our coats and rushing around the house as she took a meal of fried chicken out of the oven. She motioned for us to sit and we did as told, happily tucking into the homemade meal. Sarah sighed and smiled as Paul wolfed down his food.

"You boys have no idea how worried I was when you left," Sarah cleared her throat before taking a sip of her tea. "When you called from that payphone in Colorado I was ready to call the police and have them haul your butts back up here!"

I couldn't help but laugh at the fierce look that my adoptive mother, "I doubt you would have resorted to the cops Mrs. L."

"You're right," she nodded her head before picking up her fork, "I would have dragged you both back myself."

"I know ma," Paul kissed his mother's cheek."

"But I understood that you two needed time. Time to figure everything out," the room got quiet as forks scraped on plates. I swallowed the lump in my throat when she grabbed both our hands. "I'm just glad you both are home"

"Us too," Paula and I answered together, smiling.

Sarah wiped her eyes before nodding, "Okay enough, let's eat!"

We dug into our plates, Paul and I telling her of what had happened. We told her about learning to surf, rock climbing, and the different people we had met. Of what we had been going through. Sarah merely nodded as we told her how at first we had failed; only going back to our old habits. But when we told her how far we had come she nodded and smiled, saying she knew that we had it in ourselves to overcome anything.

"Now, about school," Sarah said it slowly, she slammed her hands down on the table when we jumped up to escape. Bowing my head I sat back down, knowing that Paul Lahote got his anger issued from his mother, not his M.I.A father. "There will be no arguing about this. If you two are going to be living here you will be going to school and finishing up your senior year, am I understood?"

"Yes mam," Paul and I muttered, I gave him a nasty glare which he shrugged off.

"Not only that but I expect some help around here with the bills, you are both nineteen years old, you should have jobs. I don't need a lot but running this house and feeding the both of you is going to be hard. I already have jobs prepared for you. Mr. Daugherty needs help unloading the trucks at the pier and you two have graciously volunteered to do it."

"Mom, unloading fish and crates, really?!" Paul snapped.

"Yes," Sarah said through gritted teeth, she threw me a glare and I held up my hands.

"Whatever you say goes," I quipped as she smiled and got up to take the dishes to the sink.

"Suck up little bitch," Paul whispered, elbowing me in the side.

"Whatever you say Lahote, I'm not going to get chewed out," I smirked and went to load the dishwasher as Paul took the trash out.

"Good night my boys," Sarah smiled widely as she rounded the corner to her room. "Thank you for coming home, you have no idea what it means to have both of you back." She touched her face and wiped away tears before blowing a kiss and closing her bedroom door.

I took to my old room, closing the door and falling onto the old bed. Nothing had changed about the small room. The paint was still old and peeling near the right corner of the ceiling. Band posters a football jersey of mine were still tacked to the walls. I knew that if I lifted the floorboard closest to the window I would find my old hiding spot. The dresser was covered with old clothes and random junk that I threw on it. The nightstand was covered in stickers and sharpie. Tucked in the corner was a storage bin with notebooks, a photo album, and other miscellaneous things. The closet door still had two red handprints, a small one and a bigger one which was mine. At the very bottom near the floor was a brown stain that made my heart clench and breathing stop.

Coming home had been a bad idea. There were too many memories and reminders about what had once happened. The people and scars that I left behind were now at my doorstep. How was I supposed to prove that I had changed, that things wouldn't just be the same? How was I supposed to forget when it was staring right at me?

I couldn't forget, that's why. No matter how far I had run, it followed me. And now, being back home, it was even closer than before.


	2. Stay Strong

**AN: Wanna see what the girls where chapter to chapter? Check out my polyvore to check the outfits out! :) **

**Chapter 2: Stay Strong**

There was one point in time when I loved to school. I would jump out of bed and race to the bus. It wasn't because I was actually excited to go and learn something; it was because I got to see my friends. They were the ones that got me through the eight hours of prison also known as public school. We interrupted the teacher and lost privileges, but that never stopped us. Come freshmen year we were skipping classes and buying cigarettes off the juniors and seniors. Saturday school became a regular thing for us. I would loiter in the hallways with my friends until they were deserted. We'd sneak off campus or just not go to school at all. My grades dropped and I failed everything. At that point in time it didn't seem like that big of deal. Now, going back and having to repeat a fifth year of high school, I wish I had just gone and got it done with in the first place.

La Push high wasn't a very big school, the old building was falling apart. The stair way was so packed with bodies that you had to learn to shove your way through if you wanted to even be somewhat on time for your classes. The same people still went there, at least that's what it seemed like. All my old friends who had gotten in just as much trouble as I had were all back trying to finish out the years they screwed up. My old teachers gave me nasty glares, but seemed surprised when all I did was sit in the back and do the work. I didn't see the point in trying to mess around anymore, I had learned that lesson the hard way.

"So, when did you guys get back?" Jacob Black asked as we sat on his car during lunch break.

I flicked the ash off my cigarette and took a drag before answering, "Two days ago, we got in pretty late. Had dinner with Sarah and now we've kinda just been hanging around."

"Sarah must be happy to have you guys back then," Brady Conweller said, ripping into his lunch.

"Yeah my mom as pretty psyched that we were back. Wouldn't leave us alone for a fucking minute," Paul shook his head as he tapped his fingers on his pack.

"Just been hanging around with each other, haven't seen anyone else? None of the old crew," Seth Clearwater waggled his eyebrows, getting swatted by Jacob.

"Pretty much, didn't really feel like seeing anyone but you guys," I admitted with a shrug of my soldiers.

"So, you haven't seen the girls either then?" Jacob asked. I swallowed hard and shook my head, locking eyes with Paul as his jaw clenched. "I figured that much. I told them that you guys were back."

"Why the fuck did you do that Black?! What if we didn't want to see them?!" Paul snapped, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Too late for that Lahote."

"Shit," Paul flipped around and scratched the back of his head, glaring slightly at the two girls who had walked up while we were talking.

She was the same as ever, standing there with her arms crossed tightly across her chest, her sky blue eyes bearing into the back of her best friends head. I knew she was trying not to look at me. And I would be lying if I said I didn't just once want those eyes to look at me.

"Immy, play nice," the dark hair girl tsked.

Imogen Walsh was the one that had responded to Paul's questions. She was an oddity for La Push. She hailed from Brooklyn, moved here in third grade and tagged along with Paul wherever he went. She had a head full of wavy fiery red hair, dark green eyes, and skin so pale it looked translucent. Imogen was excited easily and was always quick to jump to the first conclusion. Her feelings were easily hurt, and before we had left Paul had protected her fiercely.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Imogen snapped, she flipped around to face Paul again, huffing. Her long legs were clad in green jeans; a peach shirt clung tightly to her as the rain sprinkled down. Long red hair was pulled into a fishtail over her shoulder. "Why?!"

Paul cursed loudly and dropped his pack of cigarettes as Imogen's grey combat boot made contact with his shin. "What the hell Walsh!"  
"That was for leaving and not telling me anything!" Imogen snapped. She grabbed Paul by the collar of his shirt and planted a kiss on his cheek that made him turn as red as her hair. "And that's for coming back."

"I swear to god. You're fucking bipolar Immy," Skyla Rivers laughed finally locking eyes with me. She was still beautiful, of course more so now than before. Her dark brown hair was pulled up into a messy low bun. Her legs, clad in tights, swished over to jump on the hood of the car next to Jacob, her black skirt flaring out as she sat down. Jacob pulled her white sweater closed as her maroon tank top was exposed. She kicked her boot clad feet against the tire, smirking when Jacob glared at her.

"Oh, like you're one to talk!" Imogen placed her hands on her hips, giving Paul a sly wink before joining her friend on the hood of the car.

"Whatever airy fairy," Skyla waved her hand in the air, barely dodging the slap from Imogen. Skyla had been my best friend since freshmen year when she had moved from Colorado to La Push. She was my right hand man, my partner in crime. All those cliché sayings. Skyla was quieter than Imogen, but could be just as loud if you got her going. She was a fighter, and would stick up for any one of her friends if need be. She held everything in, to the point where it became dangerous for her and almost ended her life. Everything bad that happened, she made it her problem and would obsess over it until it was fixed. I knew I had hurt her, out of all the calls I had received, more than half were from her.

"So, we all hanging out later?" Imogen sang, stealing a drag from Paul's cigarette. Jacob, Seth, and Brady all agreed right away.

Paul shared a look with me, "Hanging out and doing what?"

In the past, hanging out after school usually meant getting high, getting our hands on whatever drugs or alcohol we could and partying. Paul and I had partied here and there in the past year, but never to the extent that we used to. I wasn't going to be home for a week and already starting where we had left off. There was no way in hell that I was going back to that.

"Sky's going to make dinner and we got the new xbox, we could watch movies at my place or something," Jacob shrugged, locking the door to the Rabbit and kicking everyone off the hood. "I'm living at the Crest View apartments; ask Sky how to get there. I gotta go to class."

"Bye my lovely!" Imogen tackled Skyla into a hug and twirled her around the parking lot, almost falling in the process. "See you after class, promise?"

"Imogen Clarisse, I drive you to and from school every day, why would I suddenly leave without you?" Skyla laughed, rolling her eyes.

Imogen responded by touching her finger to her nose and winking, skipping away and chattering to Paul who smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Looks like they got right back on track," Skyla sighed, folding her arms across her stomach.

"It's Imogen and Paul, of course they're right back on track," I smirked at her.

Sky's lips formed a tight line before she looked down at the ground.

"Do you not have a last period?" when she shook her head no I sighed. I knew seeing Skyla again would be awkward, I knew there was probably a lot that needed to be said and explained. I just didn't think that I would have to confront her so soon.

"Shit," she muttered as thunder echoed and the rain started pouring down.

"Come on," I grabbed her sleeve and started running to my truck, blasting the heater as the glass fogged up.

"I hate the fucking rain," Skyla muttered as she shrugged out of her wet sweater and holding her arms up to the heater.

"Wow there," I raked my eyes up her arms, "Got new ink there did we?"

Since I had met Skyla she had been obsessed with getting tattoos, the moment she finally saved up money and got one, she had been hooked. I had gone with her the night she got her first one. It was two sparrows on either side of her hips. There was now writing on the inside of both wrists, birds with the words "let it go" on one arm and arrows.

"Oh, yeah," Skyla rubbed the outside of the arm with the birds, "I got them done in the last year; Immy said I went a little bit crazy."

"What do you wrists say?" I asked turning her arms to face me upside down in the truck.

"Stay Strong," She muttered. Through each word a bright pink scar pierced each letter. I ran my thumb across it, licking my lips, remembering when I had first seen those two lines. The same panic coursed through my veins again. Skyla pulled her arms back and cradled them in her lap. "I got that one done a month after you left."

The last thing I told her was "Stay Strong." We had been lying in her bed, I held her as the sleeping medication they gave her was taking effect. I had kissed the top of her head before whispering those two words, and then crept out her window to meet Paul and take off.

"Why?" Skyla whispered, stilling looking at her hands.

"Why what?" I breathed clutching the steering wheel.

"Why did you leave without tell me? Why did you just leave me behind? Why did you ignore me all this time?" Skyla's shoulders shook as her voice broke.

I clenched my jaw hard, turning away from her, my own eyes stinging. "I had to Sky; I couldn't stay here after what happened. I had to leave."

"But you didn't even say good bye Jared!" Skyla screamed, her angry blue eyes swimming with tears that ran freely down her face. "You just left, everything just got worse when you left! You ran away Jared! Took the easy way out! You left me here to deal with everything, to try and make Imogen feel better and help her get healthy! To be harassed every day, to be pushed in the hallways and tormented by that stupid gang of yours! Do you know how hard it was for me?! I had no one Jared!"  
"You had Imogen!" I snapped, turning to face her. She swallowed hard and shook her head.

"You know better than anyone that you were the only one who really knew what was going on," Skyla whispered.

"And whose fault was that?" I growled. Skyla became still, her tears falling silently.

We stared at each other, not saying anything. My chest rose and fell fast, waiting for the fighting words to come out of her mouth, preparing for any comeback that was necessary. But she never said anything. Instead Skyla nodded and wiped her face, pulling on her sweater and grabbing her back pack.

"You're right," Skyla whispered, laughing slightly to herself. She turned her eyes on me; they hardened the moment they made contact with mine. "It was my fault. I should have never told you anything."

The rain whooshed into the truck violently as she swung herself out of the truck and slammed the door shut. She bunched her shoulders up and walked towards her jeep.

"Fuck!" I slammed my hand on the dashboard, cradling my head in my hands.


	3. Lost At Sea

**Chapter 3: Lost At Sea**

_"I'll always love you," I pushed a strand of her short hair behind her ear. Skyla smiled up at me, her hands holding tight to my shirt._

_ "Are you sure about that?" She questioned, her blue eyes twinkling. _

_ I kissed her softly, barely coming up before whispering, "I am more than sure baby."_

_ Skyla giggled before twining her arms around my neck. I let my arms collapse so I was lying completely on top of her. I kissed her deeply, nipping at her bottom lip as Sky smiled, moaning slightly as I ran my hand down her side, before hitching her leg around my waist. Her musical fingers played on my back, tapping out a song she had memorized. _

_ "You drive me crazy," I growled into her mouth, pushing our bodies closer, if that was even possible._

_ "Down boy," Skyla laughed as I nipped at her collarbone. _

_ "Nah, already up," I muttered as I ran my tongue over her skin, inhaling her sweet coconut body spray._

_ Skyla arched into me, moaning and grasping at my shirt when I slipped mine under her tank top._

_ "A little young to tell me those things, don't ya think?" She winked at m, rolling us over and straddling my waist, burying her face in my neck and nipping._

_ I smirked into her hair, my hands clenching on her. "Nah, eighteen and head over heels in love with a beautiful girl sounds just about right to me."_

_ Skyla looked down at me; the smirk she wore matched the glint in her eyes. I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her gently, resting my forehead on hers. _

_ "Sounds about right to me too," She smiled softly and kissed me, smiling against my lips again._

_ "Good," I ran my fingers down her arms; she stiffened as I traced the lines that littered them. I raised her hands and kissed each line, smiling at her and kissing each palm. Skyla bit her lip and shook her head smiling down, her pixie hair flinging around her head. I sighed and pulled her down, crushing her mouth to mine and letting out my own grown as she squirmed on top of me, "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to ravish you until you scream."_

_ Skyla smirked as I flipped us over pulling her tank top up and kissing the skin I was exposing. "Good." _

"Shit," I groaned as someone slapped me hard over the head.

"About fucking time Cameron. I knew you could sleep anywhere, but the truck, really?" Paul laughed as I shot him a one finger salute. "Enough with the pleasant gestures, you still want to go to Jake's, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," I yawned and stretched, "Do you know how to get to the apartments?"

"You guys are gonna follow me and Sky," Imogen popped up behind Paul, snaking her arms around his waist as he placed on around her shoulders.

I raised my eyebrow at him, but Paul smiled and shook his head at me. Signaling that I should just be quiet. "Alright well let's get going then."

Imogen smiled brightly before skipping over to Skyla's black mud covered jeep and hopped in. I could hear Skyla screech as Imogen turned the music up loudly and hung her feet out the window. With a spray of mud Skyla took off, I punched the gas, trying hard to keep up with her. Paul followed close behind, his face was serious as he mumbled to himself.

I ran a hand through my hair, the dream playing over in my head. I still remembered that night, hell, I still remembered the first time I ever told Skyla I loved her. Freshmen year Skyla had moved from Colorado to La Push.

_Paul had decided that the best time to go cliff diving would be at three in the morning. This meant sneaking away from Sarah and taking the two hour long hike up the back way to get to said cliffs. Unknown to me, Paul had gone ahead, probably to meet up with Imogen, and left me to do the hike by myself._

_ When I finally reached the cliffs I could hear three voices, getting close I saw that Paul wasn't just with Imogen, but with another girl. She and Imogen were dancing around the fire as Paul sipped from a bottle, a cigarette resting between his fingers._

_ Sitting down next to him I accepted the bottle, the liquid burning fire down my throat, I watched this new girl, throwing her head back and laughing as Imogen choked on a chug from her own drink. Her dark hair was cut to just under her chin, blue eyes sparkling like sapphires in the firelight. She wore an oversized sweater even though the fire made the night warm. Her skin was pure mocha, her body curvy in all the right places, not like the thin girls the res was full of now a days._

_ "Who's that?" I asked, taking a smoke out and lighting it, the rush of nicotine making me light headed._

_ "Skyla Rivers, I met her history class. She moved here from Colorado a while ago," Paul grabbed onto Imogen and sucked on her neck as she giggled._

_ "Oh yeah, you know. I'll just stand here by myself while this guy makes out with my friend. No worries, I'll just drink myself into a coma," Skyla's voice had a soft edge to it, she was she maybe five two._

_ "Awesome idea Sky!" Imogen held her thumbs up and tackled Paul into the sand._

_ "I was being sarcastic," Skyla muttered, taking a sip from the bottle her and Imogen had obviously been sharing. Paul carried Imogen over to the shadows, disappearing in the trees. "And so there were two. Two who were awkward and together drank themselves into comas."_

_ I couldn't help but laugh at the serious tone she had. "I'm Jared by the way."_

_ "Skyla," she accepted the seat I offered her next to me, and curled her legs Indian style. "So, Jared, what brings you out on this lovely night?"_

_ "Douche bag over there invited me, I figured he would go off with Walsh though," I shrugged and took a drink._

_ "Yeah, they tend to do that," Skyla muttered, tapping her fingers against the glass. "There's not a lot to do around here, is there?"_

_ "You mean the boring life isn't the life for you?" I gave her a bewildered look as she laughed._

_ "Yeah, no thanks," she smiled at me before looking into the flames. We sat there in silence, sipping on our drinks in companionable silence. I couldn't help but look at her, she wasn't the hottest girl I had ever seen, but she was definitely pretty. She was humming under her breath. Her blue eyes flicked to my staring ones and she smirked._

_ Standing, Skyla brushed the sand off her butt and held a hand out. "Come on; show me how it's done."_

_ "Uh, how what's done?" My stomach did a summersault as I dug my bottle into the sand._

_ "Cliff diving silly," Skyla rolled her eyes._

_ "Oh," I smiled back at her and stripped my shirt ad shoes off, grabbing her small hand and dragging us to the edge._

_ "This is a little higher than I thought it was," she muttered, the scent of whiskey wafted up to my nose._

_ "What, your liquid courage hasn't kicked in yet?" I jabbed, Skyla growled at me and I laughed, "Ok, why don't you just watch me go first."_

_ "Oh yeah! Good idea! That way when you're jumping I can run away!" Skyla clapped her hands together, "Brilliant idea!"_

_ "Do you, or do you not want to jump?" I turned to face her, my back to the edge._

_ "I did, but that was before I realized how high it was going to be. I'm not doing that on my own."_

_ "Well its either go first or watch."_

_ "Is there an option C?"_

_ "No."_

_ "Well then let's call it a night!"_

_ I grabbed her arm as she swung around to leave. She laughed as I pulled her back, "Wow there! How about we come up with an option C?"_

_ Skyla put a finger to her berry lips and hummed, "Oke doke then J, what would be the option."_

_ "We jump together."_

_ She got quiet considering the option. "Okay. I guess that could work. How do we do this?"_

_ "Hold on tight," was the only advice I could give her. Before she could react I wrapped my arms tightly around her waist and threw us off the cliff. Skyla gave a cry of surprise before her arms clutched around my neck and her face buried into my neck. The water was icy cold as we crashed down into it. Skyla laughed as we surfaced, pushing her hair out of her face, her arms never unraveling from my neck. I tightened my grip on her as she smiled at me._

_ "Not so bad, huh?" I smirked as Skyla shook her head._

_ I could still smell the whiskey on her breath, but there was something else that clung to her, it was sweet and reminded me of coconuts._

_ She looked down before meeting my gaze. We both tightened our grip, her legs wrapped around my waist as she smiled. "Not so bad."_

Since that day I had been infatuated with Skyla Rivers. I hung out with her every day, becoming the guys best friend she told everything. We snuck out and got in trouble together, ditched class and shared notes. I asked her to homecoming, making a big deal out of how beautiful she looked in her dress. That was also the night I had kissed her. We had left the gym and walked hand in hand on the beach, her shoes clutched in my hand as she dug her toes in the sand. She laughed at something I said, and when I looked down at her, I did the one thing any guy friend is scared shitless to do. I grabbed her and kissed her. It was one of the best things I had ever done. And when she kissed me back, I knew I was in uncharted water.

Skyla was a mystery me back then and even now. One minute she was happy and on top of the world, the next she was depressed and angrier than a provoked wasp. Her words stung when she was angry, and her voice sang sweet lullabies when she was content. Whenever we fought she would look at me, her blue eyes hardening to stone and never backing down. When we made love she was fierce and loving. When I needed her, she was gentle and caring. Skyla was there for everyone, but it seemed like people took that for granted a lot of the time.

I noticed when she started becoming quiet and withdrawn from people, I also was the first one to notice the marks, to find her crying on the bathroom floor so hard she made no sounds. While everyone was busy asking her to comfort them, she was lost in her own depression. While her blood trickled down her arms, she smiled and did everything she could to help her friends. IT was stupid of me to blow her off for as long as I did, she would have killed herself eventually, I knew that now. If I hadn't stepped up when I did she would have died, and her blood would have been on my hands.

As much of a fighter that Skyla was, she was delicate also. People forgot that sometimes, and I did too.

"You live in a pigsty," Imogen scrunched her nose up as she tossed a pizza box from the couch to the floor.

"So throwing it on the floor helps?" Skyla laughed as Seth and Brady made pig noises.

"Whatever Walsh, you're just jealous you share a box with Rivers over there," Jacob waved a hand in the air.

"Our shoe box is very nice thank you very much!" Skyla snapped form the kitchen where she was pulling out ingredients.

"Yeah, and when it's cold at night we can cuddle as much as we want," Imogen waggled her eyebrows and laughed evilly as Paul swallowed hard.

"I'd be happy to be your space heater gals, just give me a text next time and I'll hop right over," Jacob winked at Imogen.

"In your dreams Black," Paul smirked as he sat down on the couch, Imogen plopped herself down next to him and grabbed the xbox controller, turning the TV on and starting a game.

"I shall dominate you all!" Imogen threw her arms in the air as Black Ops started, Jacob and Seth grabbing controllers as they flicked through the options.

I pulled a kitchen seat over and sat down, leaning over as the game started. Imogen laughed evilly as she won, doing a little dance before sitting back down on her knees and demanded Jacob trade with Seth.

"Skyla, be a good little housewife and get daddy and his friends a beer," Jacob leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers behind his head.

"First off, I am not a housewife," Skyla smacked him across the back of the head, "second, never in any alternate universe or this one are you my daddy," she threw Seth, Brady and Paul a beer, "and third, go fuck yourself." She dropped the beer car on Jacob's lap and he doubled over as the air left him.

"I like 'em feisty," Jacob wheezed as he got up to go to the bedroom.

Imogen screamed as the images on the screen exploded, Paul laughed and kissed the side of her head.

"I didn't know if you'd want one," Skyla muttered, one can still in her hands.

"Uh, sure, why not?" I took the cold can from her, ignoring how warm her fingers were. Skyla snatched her hand away and turned on heel back to the kitchen. Sighing I took a drink of the bitter liquid, shaking my head away from the sad look in Sky's eyes. Turning to the game I tried forgetting about the way her fingers had felt on mine.

After a while Imogen got up to help Skyla finish the spaghetti, dishing it out to everyone, Skyla watching Imogen eat like a hawk before even touching her food. We took turn playing game, switching them out every so often before finally putting a movie on after clearing the dishes away.

Imogen was asleep against palls lap as his head had fallen back and he was sleeping. Jacob had crashed in his bed while Brody dragged Seth home. Skyla rolled her eyes at Imogen before grabbing her sweater and zipping her boots up.

"You going?" I whispered in the dark.

The TV illuminated her face as she reached for the doorknob. "Yeah."

I swallowed hard, clutching the chair arms tightly before jumping up and pulling my leather jacket on. "Let me walk you?"


End file.
